1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:03,360 Built up now, 'cause I missed so today we're gonna go twice as 2 00:00:03,360 --> 00:00:10,240 long. No, we're gonna. 3 00:00:10,240 --> 00:00:11,440 We'll be out at our regular time. 4 00:00:13,520 --> 00:00:21,000 Turn to Matthew, Chapter 8. And Dylan. 5 00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:24,520 You can bring the the background down all the way now. 6 00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:31,720 Thank you, brother. Oh, that's the TV doing it. 7 00:00:44,920 --> 00:00:49,360 That's weird. So we're in Matthew chapter 8. 8 00:00:49,960 --> 00:00:54,440 We are now getting to verse 18. A lot of your Bible. 9 00:00:54,440 --> 00:00:56,280 What kind of headings do you have right over that? 10 00:00:56,280 --> 00:00:57,920 Verse 18? Tell me what they say there. 11 00:00:58,560 --> 00:01:01,120 The cost of following Jesus. Anybody have something different 12 00:01:01,120 --> 00:01:03,040 from that? That's the heading in My Bible 13 00:01:03,040 --> 00:01:05,400 has as well. The cost of following Jesus. 14 00:01:05,400 --> 00:01:07,240 So let's give Let's give the refresher. 15 00:01:07,240 --> 00:01:10,120 Now, we've been going from chapter one, verse one, all the 16 00:01:10,120 --> 00:01:11,280 way to here. Where have we been? 17 00:01:11,280 --> 00:01:13,960 Through the genealogy. We've come all the way through 18 00:01:13,960 --> 00:01:18,640 Jesus's Sermon on the Mount, the greatest sermon ever preached, 19 00:01:18,640 --> 00:01:21,440 and the teaching of what it looks like to be in the Kingdom. 20 00:01:21,440 --> 00:01:24,280 The teaching to show what What does a disciple of Jesus really 21 00:01:24,280 --> 00:01:26,560 look like? What does the Kingdom really do? 22 00:01:26,560 --> 00:01:30,960 That sermon begins, He tells us, blessed are the poor in spirit. 23 00:01:31,120 --> 00:01:34,280 He gives us the beatitudes, talks about the humility in the 24 00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:36,840 way that you would come to Christ, but over and over and 25 00:01:36,840 --> 00:01:38,520 over. Jesus, he's, he's preached 26 00:01:38,520 --> 00:01:40,600 repentance. He says repent, for the Kingdom 27 00:01:40,600 --> 00:01:43,640 of heaven is at hand. And then he's healing, and he's 28 00:01:43,640 --> 00:01:45,600 casting out demons. And then he's healing and he's 29 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:48,440 casting out demons. And then he might teach again. 30 00:01:48,800 --> 00:01:50,760 And then he's healing again and casting out demons. 31 00:01:50,760 --> 00:01:52,160 And then all these people are coming. 32 00:01:52,160 --> 00:01:53,640 That's what we've seen over and over and over. 33 00:01:53,800 --> 00:01:55,480 It gives us some specific details. 34 00:01:55,640 --> 00:01:58,240 Look at the leper. Look at the centurion. 35 00:01:58,360 --> 00:02:00,400 Look at the different ways that Jesus heals. 36 00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:02,480 It's not always the same every time. 37 00:02:02,480 --> 00:02:05,400 We have an example throughout the Gospels, we never see it 38 00:02:05,400 --> 00:02:07,920 repeated. Now, it's likely in the 39 00:02:07,920 --> 00:02:10,360 thousands and thousands and thousands of people that Jesus 40 00:02:10,360 --> 00:02:11,800 healed. It's likely that he probably 41 00:02:11,800 --> 00:02:13,840 repeated his method. But we talked about how 42 00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:16,600 important it is that we don't get stuck on a method, but we 43 00:02:16,600 --> 00:02:19,800 get stuck on the person of Jesus, that we actually put our 44 00:02:19,800 --> 00:02:22,240 faith and confidence in Him. And then we can be led and 45 00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:24,960 directed by the Holy Spirit, because the Lord will accomplish 46 00:02:24,960 --> 00:02:29,160 His will in many different ways. He heals by His word, so He does 47 00:02:29,160 --> 00:02:31,040 many different things, continues to heal. 48 00:02:32,120 --> 00:02:34,960 And when you're when you're healing thousands of people, 49 00:02:35,080 --> 00:02:37,120 that's going to draw a crowd, isn't it, man? 50 00:02:37,120 --> 00:02:38,840 He teaches like no one's ever taught before. 51 00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:41,480 I love this guy's teaching. It's so good. 52 00:02:41,800 --> 00:02:48,480 And he healed me and my sister and my son and my neighbor. 53 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:50,560 So we're all following. We're all following. 54 00:02:50,560 --> 00:02:53,760 The crowds are massive. The the word is spread 55 00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:57,880 throughout the region. Now let's read verse 18 through 56 00:02:57,880 --> 00:03:00,720 22. Now when Jesus saw a crowd 57 00:03:00,720 --> 00:03:05,040 around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side. 58 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:08,200 So this is a large lake, the other side being a different 59 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:11,320 region entirely. And a scribe came up to him, and 60 00:03:11,320 --> 00:03:13,920 said, teacher, I'll follow you wherever you go. 61 00:03:14,480 --> 00:03:18,000 And Jesus said to him, Foxes have holes, birds of the air 62 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:21,120 have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head. 63 00:03:21,760 --> 00:03:25,160 Another of his disciples said to him, Lord, let me first go and 64 00:03:25,160 --> 00:03:28,640 bury my father. And Jesus said to him, follow me 65 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:31,680 and leave the dead to bury their own dead. 66 00:03:32,280 --> 00:03:35,120 Heavenly Father, bring us light and revelation this morning as 67 00:03:35,120 --> 00:03:38,440 we look at the words of Jesus and as we look at the moment of 68 00:03:38,440 --> 00:03:41,120 what was taking place. And then, as you would apply it 69 00:03:41,120 --> 00:03:44,240 to our hearts and our lives today, God help us to not just 70 00:03:44,240 --> 00:03:47,440 feel conviction, but to have that conviction lead us all the 71 00:03:47,440 --> 00:03:51,240 way through to obedience. Make us an obedient, loving, 72 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:53,720 following disciple. Help us to not just be in the 73 00:03:53,720 --> 00:03:56,360 crowd, but bring us close to being to the flock. 74 00:03:56,680 --> 00:03:59,040 In Jesus name we thank you. Amen. 75 00:04:00,520 --> 00:04:04,640 Now, when Jesus saw a crowd around him, It's funny when I 76 00:04:04,640 --> 00:04:06,440 point this out to you. You're not going to be able to 77 00:04:06,440 --> 00:04:08,520 Unsee it ever again as you read the gospels. 78 00:04:08,840 --> 00:04:11,880 If you will read your gospels, you'll notice over and over 79 00:04:11,880 --> 00:04:15,080 again whenever there was a large crowd around him. 80 00:04:15,240 --> 00:04:17,760 The very next thing that's going to happen is he's going to sift 81 00:04:17,760 --> 00:04:21,240 the crowd. A large crowd gathered around 82 00:04:21,240 --> 00:04:22,920 him. And then Jesus says something 83 00:04:22,920 --> 00:04:26,920 ridiculous to offend people. A large crowd gathers around him 84 00:04:26,920 --> 00:04:29,320 and then Jesus puts a test for the crowd. 85 00:04:29,440 --> 00:04:31,360 He doesn't. He doesn't deliberately run 86 00:04:31,360 --> 00:04:34,520 anyone off, but he allows them to test engage themselves. 87 00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:37,320 He just puts the thing out there and he says this will reveal, 88 00:04:37,560 --> 00:04:39,840 this will clarify, this will make a distinction. 89 00:04:40,080 --> 00:04:42,840 So he's been healing everybody. He's been driving out demons. 90 00:04:43,000 --> 00:04:46,840 You can't imagine how many people who were already 91 00:04:46,840 --> 00:04:49,160 profoundly changed and blessed by him. 92 00:04:49,560 --> 00:04:51,360 The whole region is talking about it. 93 00:04:51,360 --> 00:04:55,480 Everybody knew somebody who had been to him, who was sick. 94 00:04:55,720 --> 00:04:57,480 So people are coming from far and wide. 95 00:04:57,480 --> 00:05:01,640 His teaching is powerful. It's unlike anything that anyone 96 00:05:01,720 --> 00:05:04,680 has ever heard. The disciples are excited. 97 00:05:04,680 --> 00:05:08,120 The close disciples are excited because their master is gaining 98 00:05:08,120 --> 00:05:10,120 a massive following. I was here at the beginning. 99 00:05:10,320 --> 00:05:14,360 He he called me personally early on, and now people are coming. 100 00:05:14,360 --> 00:05:15,920 Now people are coming. I'm part of his entourage. 101 00:05:15,920 --> 00:05:19,600 I'm part of the inner circle. It's very, very exciting times. 102 00:05:19,760 --> 00:05:22,320 Well, this, this is the Messiah. It's happening. 103 00:05:22,320 --> 00:05:23,760 This is it. It's building. 104 00:05:23,760 --> 00:05:26,360 He's just going to keep building it, maybe until he builds his 105 00:05:26,360 --> 00:05:27,640 army. And then finally, we're going to 106 00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:31,320 take over the Romans and the Son of Man, as Daniel calls him in 107 00:05:31,320 --> 00:05:34,360 Chapter 7, and as Jesus calls himself here in this passage, 108 00:05:34,600 --> 00:05:37,240 then maybe finally it'll all be happening. 109 00:05:38,440 --> 00:05:41,560 So if Jesus was really a great church leader, and if he's 110 00:05:41,560 --> 00:05:44,280 reading all the church growth magazines, and if he's listening 111 00:05:44,280 --> 00:05:47,080 to the right church growth podcasts, he's going to realize 112 00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:50,200 that this is the moment to capture the moment, the 113 00:05:50,200 --> 00:05:51,760 momentum. This is it. 114 00:05:51,880 --> 00:05:52,760 Don't blow it. Jesus. 115 00:05:53,160 --> 00:05:54,680 The crowd's starting to gather, right. 116 00:05:54,920 --> 00:05:57,320 This is the moment that you really got to capitalize on. 117 00:05:58,000 --> 00:05:59,600 This is the moment when you really got to make the most. 118 00:05:59,800 --> 00:06:01,320 They're here, they're here, they're here. 119 00:06:01,560 --> 00:06:03,800 Now you really have to capitalize on it. 120 00:06:04,000 --> 00:06:07,080 Don't waste all the excitement. Don't waste all the hype, Jesus. 121 00:06:07,200 --> 00:06:09,640 We've got to make the most of it and keep this thing growing. 122 00:06:10,080 --> 00:06:14,520 So of course Jesus says there's a lot of people here. 123 00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:17,880 Let's go to the other side of the lake and leave the region 124 00:06:17,880 --> 00:06:20,520 entirely. We'll see who comes. 125 00:06:20,520 --> 00:06:23,480 We'll see who makes it. We'll see who sorts themselves 126 00:06:23,480 --> 00:06:26,160 out. Jesus isn't concerned with 127 00:06:26,160 --> 00:06:29,120 keeping the crowd. Jesus is making disciples. 128 00:06:29,680 --> 00:06:33,640 So Jesus does what he's going to do over and over and over again. 129 00:06:33,880 --> 00:06:37,840 The Lord is testing the people. He gives the command, and the 130 00:06:37,840 --> 00:06:40,680 people decide for themselves what they will do. 131 00:06:41,080 --> 00:06:44,160 Because there's a difference between the crowd and the flock. 132 00:06:44,920 --> 00:06:47,240 There's a difference between the crowd and the flock. 133 00:06:47,240 --> 00:06:49,320 It was true then, and it's true now. 134 00:06:49,560 --> 00:06:52,040 Well, who are you to judge? Nobody. 135 00:06:52,480 --> 00:06:56,240 The tests will reveal themselves like a pastor. 136 00:06:56,320 --> 00:06:59,200 You know, especially the larger a church is like, you know that 137 00:06:59,200 --> 00:07:01,000 there's a difference between the crowd and the flock. 138 00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:02,040 Well, who's who? What's what? 139 00:07:02,120 --> 00:07:04,480 Time will tell. I don't have to sort all that 140 00:07:04,480 --> 00:07:05,720 out. I'm going to love everybody. 141 00:07:05,720 --> 00:07:07,320 I'm going to shepherd well. But. 142 00:07:07,640 --> 00:07:12,360 But life itself will reveal time itself will reveal things and 143 00:07:12,440 --> 00:07:15,480 whenever thing whenever we're actually leading like Jesus. 144 00:07:15,880 --> 00:07:17,680 Everything's just not easy, right. 145 00:07:17,920 --> 00:07:21,400 That's part of this. The DNA of salt from day one. 146 00:07:22,680 --> 00:07:25,520 The the one of our purposes here is that you would be equipped to 147 00:07:25,520 --> 00:07:27,440 do the work of the ministry. That you wouldn't just go. 148 00:07:27,440 --> 00:07:29,280 What you got for me today, preacher man? 149 00:07:29,720 --> 00:07:31,960 Hope you got a good sermon to make me feel convicted. 150 00:07:32,480 --> 00:07:34,880 That I might do nothing about. But at least I'll feel good in 151 00:07:34,880 --> 00:07:37,320 my conviction. I'm comforted by the fact that I 152 00:07:37,320 --> 00:07:38,400 feel conviction. I don't. 153 00:07:38,400 --> 00:07:41,840 I'm not moved to obedience, but I like conviction. 154 00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:44,600 I'll keep coming back week after week to get that conviction to 155 00:07:44,600 --> 00:07:46,360 go. Oh, that was a good word. 156 00:07:47,640 --> 00:07:50,480 Oh, that was a good word again. Well, the word is always good, 157 00:07:51,480 --> 00:07:55,640 but are we really a disciple or are we in the crowd? 158 00:07:55,640 --> 00:07:59,480 This is a challenge to us. Anyone can be in the crowd. 159 00:08:00,200 --> 00:08:03,000 Enemies are in the crowd. Friends are in the crowd. 160 00:08:03,160 --> 00:08:06,160 The curious are in the crowd. The nosy are in the crowd. 161 00:08:06,160 --> 00:08:08,840 The jealous, The traitor is in the crowd. 162 00:08:09,080 --> 00:08:13,040 The board is in the crowd. The my wife made me come is in 163 00:08:13,040 --> 00:08:15,480 the crowd. The it's good for my kids. 164 00:08:15,480 --> 00:08:19,600 So we're so we we try to go is in the crowd and each are 165 00:08:19,600 --> 00:08:25,640 welcomed with warmth and with love and everybody say and and 166 00:08:25,640 --> 00:08:28,480 there will be a test to determine the crowd from the 167 00:08:28,480 --> 00:08:30,720 flock. So what are we? 168 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:32,360 Are we cynical towards all those people? 169 00:08:32,360 --> 00:08:34,720 Not at all. But everybody gets to cast their 170 00:08:34,720 --> 00:08:37,000 own vote on whether or not they're actually crowd or flock. 171 00:08:37,880 --> 00:08:39,440 Everybody gets to cast their own vote. 172 00:08:39,440 --> 00:08:41,600 Now how do you cast your vote? Obedience. 173 00:08:42,000 --> 00:08:43,960 Obedience is how the vote is cast. 174 00:08:44,400 --> 00:08:45,680 Are we talking about perfection here? 175 00:08:45,680 --> 00:08:47,160 Not at all. Not at all. 176 00:08:47,480 --> 00:08:49,520 But we're talking about faithfulness. 177 00:08:51,000 --> 00:08:54,960 Jesus knows what he's worth, but he's going to find out if the 178 00:08:54,960 --> 00:08:58,600 crowd knows what he's worth. Jesus always knows what he's 179 00:08:58,600 --> 00:09:01,160 worth, but he's going to find out if you know what he's worth. 180 00:09:01,400 --> 00:09:02,760 What do you believe about his worth? 181 00:09:02,760 --> 00:09:06,000 Oh, he's worthy of it all. It's an easy song to sing and I 182 00:09:06,000 --> 00:09:07,960 love the song. One of my favourites. 183 00:09:08,200 --> 00:09:12,080 He is in fact worthy of it all. It's easy for me to sing it for 184 00:09:12,080 --> 00:09:14,440 four or five minutes. But what about Monday Morning 185 00:09:14,440 --> 00:09:15,760 Joe? Michael, How's it going to look 186 00:09:15,760 --> 00:09:17,920 for you there? Because if he's worthy, it will. 187 00:09:18,120 --> 00:09:20,800 It'll mean that your life looks entirely different than it did 188 00:09:20,800 --> 00:09:23,920 before. The good news about the tests 189 00:09:23,920 --> 00:09:28,000 that come from the Lord are His tests meet you wherever you are. 190 00:09:28,320 --> 00:09:31,520 They travel with you and they meet your need for where you're 191 00:09:31,520 --> 00:09:34,400 at. The tests from God are maturity 192 00:09:34,400 --> 00:09:37,080 appropriate. So wherever you are in the Lord, 193 00:09:37,080 --> 00:09:40,000 the Lord knows that He loves you and he and He knows how to 194 00:09:40,000 --> 00:09:43,200 father each of his children, individually and personally. 195 00:09:44,040 --> 00:09:46,320 Can you follow him for Sunday worship each week? 196 00:09:47,360 --> 00:09:50,720 Can you pray for that Co worker? Can you forgive that person who 197 00:09:50,720 --> 00:09:52,840 lied about you? Can you tithe? 198 00:09:53,480 --> 00:09:56,200 Can you contribute your life to your brothers and sisters in 199 00:09:56,200 --> 00:09:59,040 Christ? Can you say no to that substance 200 00:09:59,040 --> 00:10:02,400 that you've been dependent on? Can you hold your tongue instead 201 00:10:02,400 --> 00:10:04,480 of retaliating? The Lord's going to give us 202 00:10:04,520 --> 00:10:08,160 opportunities to grow, to follow and walk in obedience. 203 00:10:08,160 --> 00:10:09,920 So like I said, don't be confused here. 204 00:10:09,920 --> 00:10:13,320 The disciple does not get straight A's in class. 205 00:10:13,640 --> 00:10:15,800 Look at the 12. Did they get straight A's? 206 00:10:16,280 --> 00:10:17,720 No. But were they faithful? 207 00:10:17,840 --> 00:10:21,320 Yes, Peter Man, even on the very last night. 208 00:10:21,320 --> 00:10:25,920 Lord, I'll follow you to death. Only two hours later, say, I 209 00:10:25,920 --> 00:10:28,840 swear I'll call them curses from heaven. 210 00:10:28,840 --> 00:10:32,280 I don't know the man, only to be restored again. 211 00:10:32,280 --> 00:10:33,920 Why? Because he stayed close. 212 00:10:34,160 --> 00:10:37,200 So the disciple isn't marked by a straight A report card. 213 00:10:37,680 --> 00:10:41,520 But the disciple does keep showing up for class, and that's 214 00:10:41,520 --> 00:10:43,560 the distinction. And that's what the crowd 215 00:10:43,560 --> 00:10:46,080 wouldn't do. Jesus says we're going across to 216 00:10:46,080 --> 00:10:48,440 the other side. And I was like, that'd be like 217 00:10:48,440 --> 00:10:51,280 miles to get around. Like, all right, this is this is 218 00:10:51,280 --> 00:10:52,760 where I'm out. Thanks for healing me. 219 00:10:52,760 --> 00:10:54,280 It's been good. Like, I really appreciate the 220 00:10:54,280 --> 00:10:56,760 blessings. I like that guy. 221 00:10:57,000 --> 00:10:59,360 Really, really like that guy. Good dude. 222 00:11:00,280 --> 00:11:03,400 Jesus goes. The test is working. 223 00:11:03,400 --> 00:11:05,640 The test is doing what the test is supposed to do. 224 00:11:07,440 --> 00:11:09,560 The disciple doesn't get straight A's, but the disciple 225 00:11:09,560 --> 00:11:13,440 keeps showing up and sits at the master's feet, and that is your 226 00:11:13,440 --> 00:11:17,400 ultimate protection because you're with him. 227 00:11:17,600 --> 00:11:21,440 And when you're with him, he corrects and you repent, and he 228 00:11:21,440 --> 00:11:24,120 forgives all your sin and he cleanses you from all 229 00:11:24,120 --> 00:11:26,480 unrighteousness. That's the protection that Peter 230 00:11:26,480 --> 00:11:29,200 had. Peter Peter went and wept 231 00:11:29,200 --> 00:11:31,520 bitterly after he did what he did. 232 00:11:32,080 --> 00:11:35,480 And then he gets restored because he still loves the Lord. 233 00:11:35,480 --> 00:11:38,000 So he didn't get straight A's all the way through. 234 00:11:38,560 --> 00:11:40,000 You're not going to get straight A's all the way through. 235 00:11:40,000 --> 00:11:42,800 But will you keep showing up? Will you keep following Jesus? 236 00:11:43,080 --> 00:11:45,600 Will you keep following Jesus Or will he say, hey, come here and 237 00:11:45,600 --> 00:11:48,240 you go, that's too far. You ask too much. 238 00:11:48,240 --> 00:11:52,600 Lord, you demand too much of me. And he goes, I understand many 239 00:11:52,600 --> 00:11:55,920 feel that way. But he keeps on moving, he keeps 240 00:11:55,920 --> 00:11:59,360 on walking. And we see that in this passage 241 00:11:59,560 --> 00:12:04,120 people make some what seem to be very reasonable requests, very 242 00:12:04,120 --> 00:12:07,000 reasonable requests. And Jesus says I'm worth it. 243 00:12:08,120 --> 00:12:10,000 I know I'm worth it. You need to know that I'm worth 244 00:12:10,000 --> 00:12:15,640 it. He knew that everyone would 245 00:12:15,640 --> 00:12:18,480 follow when he was the one doing everything. 246 00:12:18,720 --> 00:12:22,760 He knew that healing, casting out demons, giving the best 247 00:12:22,760 --> 00:12:24,640 teaching that the world has ever heard. 248 00:12:25,600 --> 00:12:28,840 And now he wanted to see who would follow when they had to do 249 00:12:28,840 --> 00:12:31,880 something, who would follow when it would actually cost 250 00:12:31,880 --> 00:12:34,720 something. I'll follow you anywhere. 251 00:12:34,960 --> 00:12:38,160 Well, that's because it hasn't cost you anything yet. 252 00:12:39,240 --> 00:12:42,240 Now, maybe you will follow me anywhere, but time will tell, 253 00:12:42,480 --> 00:12:47,120 and this test will reveal it. So that this this scribe figures 254 00:12:47,120 --> 00:12:49,960 out what Jesus is doing. He recognizes what's happening. 255 00:12:49,960 --> 00:12:52,760 He's going, he's testing us. Lord, I'll follow you anywhere, 256 00:12:53,000 --> 00:12:54,480 OK? And then, of course, Jesus 257 00:12:54,480 --> 00:12:56,200 actually just raises the bar for him here. 258 00:12:58,000 --> 00:13:00,360 But he wanted to see what they would do when it cost them 259 00:13:00,360 --> 00:13:02,120 something. Who would follow when it 260 00:13:02,120 --> 00:13:05,520 actually had an expense to go along with it that would reveal 261 00:13:05,520 --> 00:13:09,920 the disciples from the crowd? Jesus knows that everyone will 262 00:13:09,920 --> 00:13:13,520 follow when it costs nothing. Hey, would you like to sign up 263 00:13:13,520 --> 00:13:15,720 for Christianity? You take your clipboard out to 264 00:13:15,720 --> 00:13:17,360 the streets. Oh yeah, What's that entail? 265 00:13:17,360 --> 00:13:18,800 Oh, well. You get love, You get 266 00:13:18,800 --> 00:13:20,520 forgiveness. You get freedom from sin. 267 00:13:20,680 --> 00:13:22,760 You get eternal life. You get healing. 268 00:13:22,760 --> 00:13:25,240 You get power over the devil and crucified. 269 00:13:25,240 --> 00:13:26,720 Wait, wait, What was that last thing you said? 270 00:13:27,480 --> 00:13:29,680 What was that last part? Oh yeah, crucified. 271 00:13:30,760 --> 00:13:33,480 I like all the other stuff, but can we leave out that last part? 272 00:13:33,480 --> 00:13:35,360 No, actually, that's the part that actually comes first. 273 00:13:35,360 --> 00:13:38,640 Technically, it's the You get crucified and then you get those 274 00:13:38,640 --> 00:13:40,320 other things, but you keep getting crucified along the way. 275 00:13:40,400 --> 00:13:42,360 Like what? No, no, no. 276 00:13:42,360 --> 00:13:45,120 I just want the good stuff. Like, all those blessings sound 277 00:13:45,120 --> 00:13:47,040 awesome. Sign me up for that. 278 00:13:47,200 --> 00:13:48,920 But not the other part. No, they all come together. 279 00:13:48,920 --> 00:13:52,080 Actually, you actually have to come through the cross, and then 280 00:13:52,080 --> 00:13:54,960 you have to take up your own cross, and then you keep getting 281 00:13:54,960 --> 00:13:56,360 on the cross. And then you're a living 282 00:13:56,360 --> 00:13:58,280 sacrifice. Like, why would I want to do 283 00:13:58,280 --> 00:13:59,120 this? And I'm like, oh, because he's 284 00:13:59,120 --> 00:14:00,960 worthy. Because he's worth it. 285 00:14:01,120 --> 00:14:03,200 Because he gives you the life that's truly life. 286 00:14:03,920 --> 00:14:05,240 Well, that sounds really expensive. 287 00:14:06,360 --> 00:14:08,760 It seems that way. But that's only because you 288 00:14:08,760 --> 00:14:11,160 don't realize that your life is nothing compared to the life 289 00:14:11,160 --> 00:14:12,440 that you're going to have in Christ. 290 00:14:13,320 --> 00:14:16,080 Your life is so bad that you have to die, and he's going to 291 00:14:16,080 --> 00:14:20,640 make you a new creation. So you win in this deal, just so 292 00:14:20,640 --> 00:14:23,840 you know. And yet, yes, it will also cost 293 00:14:23,840 --> 00:14:25,400 you something. You don't earn it. 294 00:14:25,760 --> 00:14:29,360 You don't deserve it. But it still has a cost. 295 00:14:29,560 --> 00:14:31,880 Isn't that an interesting thing? We don't earn it. 296 00:14:32,120 --> 00:14:34,240 We don't deserve it. No one will get to heaven to go. 297 00:14:35,400 --> 00:14:37,800 I carried my cross. Not even close. 298 00:14:38,120 --> 00:14:39,480 Everyone will just be there, going. 299 00:14:39,760 --> 00:14:42,320 He got on the cross. He's worthy. 300 00:14:42,480 --> 00:14:43,560 How'd you make it here? We. 301 00:14:43,560 --> 00:14:44,520 Me. How I make it here. 302 00:14:44,720 --> 00:14:48,040 I put my faith in the sun. I put my faith in the Lamb who 303 00:14:48,040 --> 00:14:49,800 was slain before the foundation of the world. 304 00:14:50,000 --> 00:14:52,800 Same way anybody else got here. There's nothing I did. 305 00:14:53,000 --> 00:14:55,160 There's nothing I earned. Did it cost you? 306 00:14:55,160 --> 00:14:57,240 Well, yeah, it cost me. What did it cost you, will It 307 00:14:57,240 --> 00:15:01,720 cost me friendships. It cost me job opportunities. 308 00:15:01,720 --> 00:15:04,000 It cost me money. It cost me. 309 00:15:04,120 --> 00:15:09,000 You name it like it's limitless. It cost me all kinds of things. 310 00:15:09,480 --> 00:15:11,280 There are many, many ways it'll show up. 311 00:15:11,280 --> 00:15:13,840 That it that it will cost you. It cost me my desires. 312 00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:18,600 It cost me the flesh. The flesh is what it cost me. 313 00:15:18,840 --> 00:15:20,200 Oh, so you didn't really lose anything? 314 00:15:20,240 --> 00:15:24,200 Of course not. 1000 years from now we'll go, Which is why Paul 315 00:15:24,200 --> 00:15:27,240 called, which were very extreme things he was going to compared 316 00:15:27,240 --> 00:15:30,400 to what I've experienced, he said these light momentary 317 00:15:30,400 --> 00:15:33,160 afflictions. These light momentary 318 00:15:33,160 --> 00:15:35,200 afflictions. Paul like you've been scourged 319 00:15:35,200 --> 00:15:38,240 multiple times by Romans. You've been hung upside down and 320 00:15:38,240 --> 00:15:41,520 had your feet beaten with rods. You've been stoned to death, it 321 00:15:41,520 --> 00:15:43,160 would seem, And then resurrected. 322 00:15:43,160 --> 00:15:45,680 Paul goes light, momentary afflictions. 323 00:15:46,360 --> 00:15:50,320 It's all nothing compared to knowing Christ, man. 324 00:15:50,320 --> 00:15:52,680 He had a different perspective. No, he just saw clearly. 325 00:15:53,040 --> 00:15:56,240 That is how it is. Paul didn't just find the silver 326 00:15:56,240 --> 00:15:57,760 lining and everything he just had. 327 00:15:58,080 --> 00:16:01,120 He just had a really positive outlook on things. 328 00:16:01,120 --> 00:16:04,440 No, he had a that he was recognizing reality that's 329 00:16:04,440 --> 00:16:06,920 actually as it is. And he saw that. 330 00:16:08,280 --> 00:16:12,560 So Jesus knows everyone would like the the Christianity 331 00:16:12,560 --> 00:16:15,320 without the cross, but there is no Christianity without the 332 00:16:15,320 --> 00:16:17,560 cross. Later on in Matthew we're going 333 00:16:17,560 --> 00:16:21,840 to see Jesus says if anyone would follow me, he must deny 334 00:16:21,840 --> 00:16:25,200 himself, take up his cross and follow me. 335 00:16:25,440 --> 00:16:28,120 Whoever would save his life will lose it. 336 00:16:28,480 --> 00:16:32,200 But whoever would lose his life for my sake will find it. 337 00:16:32,400 --> 00:16:35,840 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and 338 00:16:35,840 --> 00:16:38,800 loses his soul? And then in Luke, another 339 00:16:38,800 --> 00:16:40,840 example, and there are many, I'm only giving you a couple here. 340 00:16:41,120 --> 00:16:45,520 Luke 1425, large crowds, we're traveling with Jesus. 341 00:16:45,520 --> 00:16:46,680 What do you think he's about to do? 342 00:16:47,040 --> 00:16:48,360 This is our moment. Pull him in. 343 00:16:48,360 --> 00:16:49,040 Pull him in. Pull him in. 344 00:16:49,040 --> 00:16:52,600 Hey guys, you know if you bring a friend next week, we're going 345 00:16:52,600 --> 00:16:56,720 to have a Starbucks coffee and we're doing a new series that's 346 00:16:56,720 --> 00:17:00,560 just going to be like, amazing and super practical teaching for 347 00:17:00,560 --> 00:17:03,320 you and for your family. And like the kid, we're going to 348 00:17:03,320 --> 00:17:05,800 have a dog and pony show out back for the kids afterwards. 349 00:17:05,800 --> 00:17:08,119 Like, please come back next week, right? 350 00:17:11,880 --> 00:17:15,520 Large crowds were traveling with Jesus and turning to them, he 351 00:17:15,520 --> 00:17:18,240 said. If anyone comes to me and does 352 00:17:18,240 --> 00:17:22,359 not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and 353 00:17:22,359 --> 00:17:27,040 sisters, yes, even their own life, Such a person cannot be my 354 00:17:27,040 --> 00:17:31,040 disciple and whoever does not carry their cross and follow me 355 00:17:31,320 --> 00:17:35,680 cannot be my disciple. This is a hard saying. 356 00:17:36,600 --> 00:17:39,360 Who can do this? Another time, of course, Large 357 00:17:39,360 --> 00:17:43,280 crowds gathered and Jesus goes. You have to eat my flesh and 358 00:17:43,280 --> 00:17:45,920 drink my blood. And the crowd sifts again. 359 00:17:45,960 --> 00:17:49,400 And the disciples, like this guy doesn't understand how this how 360 00:17:49,400 --> 00:17:51,840 to do it. Like we got to pull him aside 361 00:17:51,840 --> 00:17:53,400 and teach him. Peter, go talk to him. 362 00:17:53,600 --> 00:17:56,000 Hey Lord, I've been thinking. Oh, you have. 363 00:17:57,240 --> 00:17:59,080 Maybe you should stop. Maybe that's the problem. 364 00:18:00,240 --> 00:18:03,600 Jesus keeps sifting the crowd from the disciple. 365 00:18:03,880 --> 00:18:06,920 And praise God, the disciples kept choosing to follow. 366 00:18:07,400 --> 00:18:09,960 And that's the distinction. Because even when the crowd 367 00:18:09,960 --> 00:18:11,920 leaves, he says, eat my flesh and drink my blood. 368 00:18:11,920 --> 00:18:14,120 And they go, this is a hard saying, who can do this? 369 00:18:14,360 --> 00:18:18,960 He turns to the 12 and even seems to offer them the door and 370 00:18:18,960 --> 00:18:21,360 go, would you like to leave as well? 371 00:18:22,720 --> 00:18:25,960 Like, he's even like, hey, everybody's leaving. 372 00:18:26,320 --> 00:18:31,400 What are you guys doing here? And Peter says almost to say, I 373 00:18:31,400 --> 00:18:33,240 don't know what you're talking about and I don't quite get it 374 00:18:33,240 --> 00:18:35,360 yet, But he goes, you have the words of life. 375 00:18:35,800 --> 00:18:39,320 Where else would we go? And Jesus goes, good for you 376 00:18:40,480 --> 00:18:42,000 because he's willing to go again. 377 00:18:42,000 --> 00:18:44,640 He's willing to go pick another group if he needs to because he 378 00:18:44,640 --> 00:18:46,520 knows what he's worth. Man does. 379 00:18:46,600 --> 00:18:50,200 Does Jesus really love us? Oh yeah, Jesus really loves us. 380 00:18:50,200 --> 00:18:53,040 And he proved it all the way to and through the cross. 381 00:18:53,480 --> 00:18:56,280 God so loved the world that he sacrificed. 382 00:18:56,280 --> 00:18:59,320 But God also is for God. God is for God. 383 00:18:59,320 --> 00:19:02,640 And God is for God's mission. And God is for God's glory. 384 00:19:03,320 --> 00:19:05,520 Doesn't he love me? Oh, he absolutely loves you. 385 00:19:06,240 --> 00:19:08,240 He cares for you deeply and compassionately. 386 00:19:08,640 --> 00:19:12,160 It's both and it's. And let's keep going. 387 00:19:12,160 --> 00:19:13,280 Now y'all are listening. Too slow. 388 00:19:13,280 --> 00:19:17,960 We got to hurry up. Verse 19 and a scribe came up to 389 00:19:17,960 --> 00:19:20,640 him and said, teacher, I will follow you wherever you go. 390 00:19:20,840 --> 00:19:24,040 So often time in the Gospels, the scribes are combating him, 391 00:19:24,040 --> 00:19:25,920 right? A lot of times it's scribes and 392 00:19:25,920 --> 00:19:27,840 it's Pharisees and they're trying to trap him and they're 393 00:19:27,840 --> 00:19:30,800 trying to trick him. This guy recognizes who he is. 394 00:19:31,000 --> 00:19:35,400 He even honors him by saying teacher or rabbi, and he's 395 00:19:35,400 --> 00:19:39,120 recognizing his authority and he sees what Jesus is doing right 396 00:19:39,120 --> 00:19:40,720 away. He recognizes that what the 397 00:19:40,720 --> 00:19:44,040 rabbi is doing, this is a test. He's watching Jesus. 398 00:19:44,040 --> 00:19:45,800 Look all around. And Jesus says to his disciples, 399 00:19:45,800 --> 00:19:48,800 let's go to the other side. The scribe, the scribe speaks 400 00:19:48,800 --> 00:19:51,600 up. Lord, I'll follow you wherever 401 00:19:51,600 --> 00:19:55,160 you go, like I want you. I see what you're doing, master. 402 00:19:55,440 --> 00:19:57,640 I appreciate it. And I'm going to be on the other 403 00:19:57,640 --> 00:20:00,280 side of the lake. And Jesus doesn't go good for 404 00:20:00,280 --> 00:20:02,080 you. I see you. 405 00:20:02,240 --> 00:20:05,960 He goes, Let me raise the bar for you because you might not 406 00:20:05,960 --> 00:20:08,440 know still what it costs. And Jesus is never doing a bait 407 00:20:08,440 --> 00:20:10,200 and switch. He never does that. 408 00:20:10,640 --> 00:20:12,240 Ever. I've done that before, 409 00:20:12,240 --> 00:20:15,560 regretfully, as a pastor in the ministry, done things. 410 00:20:15,560 --> 00:20:19,080 Hey, come to this event. Hey, we're going to trick you 411 00:20:19,080 --> 00:20:22,000 into the gospel because we didn't actually believe the 412 00:20:22,000 --> 00:20:25,560 gospel was good enough for you. We wanted to get you with this 413 00:20:25,560 --> 00:20:27,480 thing. And then would you accept this? 414 00:20:27,480 --> 00:20:29,080 And here's the broccoli. No, no, no. 415 00:20:29,320 --> 00:20:31,480 This is the gold, this is the golden. 416 00:20:31,480 --> 00:20:33,240 This all is all we got to offer, right? 417 00:20:35,000 --> 00:20:39,200 So the scribe is recognizing this in in what Jesus is doing. 418 00:20:39,200 --> 00:20:41,160 But then Jesus seems to raise the standard. 419 00:20:41,320 --> 00:20:43,400 Teacher, I'll follow you wherever you go. 420 00:20:43,880 --> 00:20:47,760 And Jesus said to him, foxes have holes, birds of the air 421 00:20:47,760 --> 00:20:50,880 have nests. But the Son of Man has nowhere 422 00:20:51,320 --> 00:20:54,560 to lay his head. Jesus raises the bar and lets 423 00:20:54,560 --> 00:20:55,720 him know. It's going to be more difficult 424 00:20:55,720 --> 00:20:58,920 than you think. So Jesus, for the first time in 425 00:20:58,920 --> 00:21:02,080 Matthew, references himself, if I'm remembering correctly. 426 00:21:02,200 --> 00:21:04,440 I think so as the Son of Man, whether or not it's the first 427 00:21:04,440 --> 00:21:05,360 time is the most important thing. 428 00:21:05,360 --> 00:21:07,480 But the point is, the Son of Man is a reference from Daniel, 429 00:21:07,720 --> 00:21:10,800 Chapter 7. And the Son of Man is a 430 00:21:10,800 --> 00:21:14,960 reference to the Messiah. And this is a powerful reference 431 00:21:14,960 --> 00:21:17,200 to the Messiah. You and I reading Son of Man. 432 00:21:17,880 --> 00:21:20,720 The the meaning is lost on us if we don't know what's happening 433 00:21:20,720 --> 00:21:22,040 in Daniel Chapter 7. So you know what? 434 00:21:22,040 --> 00:21:43,800 Let's go there really quick. I got to find Daniel. 435 00:21:47,440 --> 00:21:51,120 I got to go through my books. Oh, in the Old Testament. 436 00:21:51,120 --> 00:21:54,520 Thank you, Ezekiel. There you are, Daniel. 437 00:21:55,960 --> 00:22:01,280 Oh page 737. In Adam's Bible, Daniel Chapter 438 00:22:01,280 --> 00:22:07,560 7, verse 13, the Son of Man is given dominion is the title I 439 00:22:07,560 --> 00:22:10,840 saw in the night visions. And behold with the clouds of 440 00:22:10,840 --> 00:22:13,080 heaven there came one like a son of man. 441 00:22:13,080 --> 00:22:16,080 And he came to the ancient of days, that is the Father, and 442 00:22:16,080 --> 00:22:19,520 was presented before him. And to him Jesus was given 443 00:22:19,520 --> 00:22:23,120 dominion and glory and a Kingdom that all peoples, nations and 444 00:22:23,120 --> 00:22:26,240 languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting 445 00:22:26,240 --> 00:22:30,160 dominion which shall not pass away, and his Kingdom one that 446 00:22:30,160 --> 00:22:32,880 shall not be destroyed. Read that out loud in the 447 00:22:32,880 --> 00:22:35,600 Gospels every time you see Son of Man, quite a different 448 00:22:35,600 --> 00:22:37,920 import, right? Well, that's what all the That's 449 00:22:37,920 --> 00:22:40,240 what all the listeners to Jesus would have understood it to 450 00:22:40,240 --> 00:22:42,120 mean. So, Son of Man, what's that 451 00:22:42,120 --> 00:22:42,880 mean? No big deal. 452 00:22:43,040 --> 00:22:44,920 Son of man. So he's born from Joseph and 453 00:22:44,920 --> 00:22:47,160 Mary, son of Man. No, no, no, no, no. 454 00:22:47,160 --> 00:22:50,120 A reference to Daniel to all of his might, to all of his 455 00:22:50,120 --> 00:22:52,040 dominion, his everlasting dominion. 456 00:22:52,200 --> 00:22:54,560 And Jesus continually refers to himself that way. 457 00:22:55,040 --> 00:22:58,080 So you're like, oh, he's just downplaying who he is by calling 458 00:22:58,080 --> 00:23:01,040 himself the Son of Man. Just the opposite, in fact. 459 00:23:01,040 --> 00:23:03,920 He constantly says, I'm the one, I'm the Messiah. 460 00:23:04,160 --> 00:23:06,160 I am the greatest. But he makes that reference 461 00:23:06,160 --> 00:23:07,600 here. So it's a strange dichotomy 462 00:23:07,800 --> 00:23:11,560 because he says the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head. 463 00:23:12,400 --> 00:23:14,640 The one who has all the dominion and all the might and all the 464 00:23:14,640 --> 00:23:16,680 people and all the tribes and all the nations and all the 465 00:23:16,680 --> 00:23:21,440 languages of the world to bow down and to worship him, has 466 00:23:21,440 --> 00:23:23,840 nowhere to lay his head, has nowhere to go. 467 00:23:24,080 --> 00:23:26,440 Now why is that? Some people have made much of 468 00:23:26,440 --> 00:23:30,000 Jesus, as they call it, being homeless, which I've never used 469 00:23:30,000 --> 00:23:31,720 that phrase because I don't think it's appropriate and I 470 00:23:31,720 --> 00:23:33,640 think it's a misrepresentation of what was going on here. 471 00:23:33,840 --> 00:23:36,840 Jesus is on a very particular mission by his father, a very 472 00:23:36,840 --> 00:23:40,760 particular way a man in his 30s would have what a Jewish man in 473 00:23:40,760 --> 00:23:43,520 his 30s, certainly the most responsible man literally, to 474 00:23:43,520 --> 00:23:46,920 ever live and walk the face of the earth, worked hard, was 475 00:23:46,920 --> 00:23:49,200 faithful in all that he did, and could have had a home. 476 00:23:49,320 --> 00:23:52,720 OK, some theologians think he had a home, others think he 477 00:23:52,720 --> 00:23:54,640 didn't. That's not the point some people 478 00:23:54,640 --> 00:23:56,800 made much of like what? What can we learn from a 479 00:23:56,800 --> 00:23:58,520 homeless beggar? And they try and make a point 480 00:23:58,520 --> 00:24:01,880 that the scripture doesn't make. What Jesus is doing is saying 481 00:24:02,040 --> 00:24:04,400 the way I'm living, the way I've chosen to live. 482 00:24:04,400 --> 00:24:07,080 I'm not. I don't have enough money and I 483 00:24:07,080 --> 00:24:09,840 can't find any place to sleep. It's not the message. 484 00:24:10,120 --> 00:24:11,760 Jesus, not a bum on the sidewalk. 485 00:24:12,200 --> 00:24:15,000 OK, And that's so homeless is certainly not a good 486 00:24:15,000 --> 00:24:17,680 representation. Man on a mission who's traveling 487 00:24:17,680 --> 00:24:20,040 as a rabbi is the clear representation. 488 00:24:20,360 --> 00:24:22,160 So he's pointing it out to this scribe. 489 00:24:22,320 --> 00:24:24,160 Maybe the scribe is used to luxury. 490 00:24:24,360 --> 00:24:26,640 Maybe Jesus could look at him and see that this man is used to 491 00:24:26,640 --> 00:24:29,520 comfort. And Jesus is saying you think 492 00:24:29,520 --> 00:24:30,880 you want to go to this other region with me. 493 00:24:30,880 --> 00:24:34,000 You think you want to cross the lake, but the foxes have it 494 00:24:34,000 --> 00:24:36,200 better than I do. Foxes at least have a den that 495 00:24:36,200 --> 00:24:38,120 they can go into. The birds at least have a nest. 496 00:24:38,520 --> 00:24:40,120 I'm traveling. Things are going to be difficult 497 00:24:40,120 --> 00:24:42,040 for you. He's raising the standards, and 498 00:24:42,040 --> 00:24:45,040 he's showing him that I'm going to continue to test you. 499 00:24:45,240 --> 00:24:49,200 I'm going to continue to make you uncomfortable because 500 00:24:49,320 --> 00:24:52,640 following Jesus is always going to make things uncomfortable for 501 00:24:52,640 --> 00:24:55,120 us. If you're going to follow Jesus, 502 00:24:55,120 --> 00:24:56,680 you're going to have to get uncomfortable. 503 00:24:57,000 --> 00:24:59,240 You love his healing. You love his teaching. 504 00:24:59,240 --> 00:25:01,560 You love his goodness. You love his grace. 505 00:25:01,760 --> 00:25:05,560 But do you love his cross? Thank you, God, for blessing me. 506 00:25:05,920 --> 00:25:08,200 Thank you, God, for helping me. Thank you for taking care of my 507 00:25:08,200 --> 00:25:08,880 family. Lord. 508 00:25:08,880 --> 00:25:10,880 You're welcome. I love you. 509 00:25:11,760 --> 00:25:13,200 Now I want you to start a Bible study. 510 00:25:13,800 --> 00:25:16,200 Oh, no, no, no. Just go back to the blessing 511 00:25:16,200 --> 00:25:17,280 stuff. No. 512 00:25:17,280 --> 00:25:18,720 I want you to respect your husband. 513 00:25:20,720 --> 00:25:22,600 I want you to be gentle with your wife. 514 00:25:23,360 --> 00:25:26,400 I want you to to. I want to talk to you about your 515 00:25:26,400 --> 00:25:28,800 taxes and how you've been filing them. 516 00:25:28,800 --> 00:25:30,560 No, Lord, that's kind of my thing. 517 00:25:30,920 --> 00:25:32,200 Yeah. I want you to be my savior, not 518 00:25:32,200 --> 00:25:34,360 my Lord. You know, you're not just save 519 00:25:34,360 --> 00:25:36,360 me, but don't, like, rule over me. 520 00:25:36,600 --> 00:25:40,440 You know? I want you to shepherd your 521 00:25:40,440 --> 00:25:42,080 children and read my word to them. 522 00:25:42,080 --> 00:25:44,200 I want you. I want to talk to you about 523 00:25:44,360 --> 00:25:47,520 intoxication and the alcohol or that marijuana. 524 00:25:48,480 --> 00:25:50,680 I want you to have that difficult conversation that you 525 00:25:50,680 --> 00:25:53,960 need to have with love. I want to talk to you about that 526 00:25:53,960 --> 00:25:57,680 TV show that you love so much. I want to talk to you about that 527 00:25:57,680 --> 00:26:00,200 high paying job that you've been in for years and what I've got 528 00:26:00,200 --> 00:26:02,600 for you next and how it's going to look different. 529 00:26:03,440 --> 00:26:06,320 I want you to give away whatever it may be. 530 00:26:06,440 --> 00:26:07,880 Would the Lord ask me to do those things? 531 00:26:08,000 --> 00:26:09,480 Why don't you go ask the rich young ruler? 532 00:26:09,480 --> 00:26:12,200 Why don't you go ask Abraham if he would ever ask you to give 533 00:26:12,200 --> 00:26:15,440 anything away? A good thing or the Lord would 534 00:26:15,440 --> 00:26:16,760 never. The Lord wants me happy. 535 00:26:17,720 --> 00:26:20,120 It's a strange statement. I don't know that I disagree 536 00:26:20,120 --> 00:26:23,120 with it, but it sure sounds youth centered instead of Christ 537 00:26:23,120 --> 00:26:25,440 centered, isn't it? The Lord wants. 538 00:26:25,960 --> 00:26:27,480 Let the Lord say what the Lord wants. 539 00:26:27,960 --> 00:26:29,080 That would be the wise thing to do. 540 00:26:29,280 --> 00:26:31,680 Whatever you want, Lord. I'm all in for it. 541 00:26:32,120 --> 00:26:35,280 That's the difference between the crowd and the disciple. 542 00:26:35,520 --> 00:26:38,080 So what does the scribe do? We don't know. 543 00:26:38,760 --> 00:26:40,000 We don't know what this scribe does. 544 00:26:40,400 --> 00:26:42,320 We'll find out someday. Did he make it? 545 00:26:42,320 --> 00:26:44,560 Is he here? I sure hope so. 546 00:26:45,800 --> 00:26:48,400 But he got to cast his own vote. Jesus said it's going to be 547 00:26:48,400 --> 00:26:51,120 challenging and he doubled down and said I'm there. 548 00:26:51,120 --> 00:26:53,720 Maybe he followed him through and through and through and was 549 00:26:53,720 --> 00:26:57,520 there all the way. Let's keep going, verse 21, 550 00:26:59,960 --> 00:27:04,600 another of the disciples said to him, Lord, let me first go and 551 00:27:04,600 --> 00:27:07,800 bury my father so they recognize that the test is happening. 552 00:27:07,800 --> 00:27:09,400 They recognize a sifting is taking place. 553 00:27:09,400 --> 00:27:11,560 Hey, you're changing things up. You were just hanging out, 554 00:27:11,560 --> 00:27:13,080 healing, preaching, teaching. All was good. 555 00:27:13,080 --> 00:27:15,480 Now you're going to put some strain and some stress on us. 556 00:27:15,920 --> 00:27:20,000 We have some stipulations. Let me go and bury my father 557 00:27:20,080 --> 00:27:24,480 first, implying that in the scripture even calls this man a 558 00:27:24,480 --> 00:27:26,960 disciple, so implying that he has been one of the true 559 00:27:26,960 --> 00:27:30,800 followers up until this point. And this man brings what I would 560 00:27:30,800 --> 00:27:33,440 argue feels like a reasonable request, right? 561 00:27:34,280 --> 00:27:39,440 This seems fair enough. And Jesus responds with follow 562 00:27:39,440 --> 00:27:42,480 me and let the dead bury their own dead. 563 00:27:43,520 --> 00:27:47,800 As if to say let the spiritually dead bury the physically dead. 564 00:27:48,800 --> 00:27:51,600 Now, most theologians believe that this man's father was not 565 00:27:51,600 --> 00:27:53,600 dead. It's not like Dad died earlier 566 00:27:53,600 --> 00:27:55,200 in the day. He's like, hey, we're wrapping 567 00:27:55,200 --> 00:27:59,080 up some Funeral arrangements and and then and then I'll come 568 00:27:59,080 --> 00:28:00,640 along. No, because if that had 569 00:28:00,640 --> 00:28:01,760 happened, he would have been with the family. 570 00:28:01,760 --> 00:28:03,720 There have been a whole process for mourning and grieving. 571 00:28:03,720 --> 00:28:05,880 And if he's the oldest, if he's the first born, there would have 572 00:28:05,880 --> 00:28:08,600 been a whole traditional system of things that he has to take 573 00:28:08,600 --> 00:28:10,920 care of and manage. What's more likely going on is 574 00:28:11,440 --> 00:28:14,400 he's his father is old and he wants to wait for his father to 575 00:28:14,400 --> 00:28:18,080 die because he wants to be here for most likely his inheritance 576 00:28:18,760 --> 00:28:21,720 or maybe the responsibility of all the things that would come 577 00:28:21,720 --> 00:28:25,120 from that role. Either way, Jesus said no. 578 00:28:25,760 --> 00:28:29,280 It's now or never with me, not hey, let me follow because he 579 00:28:29,320 --> 00:28:31,880 doesn't know how long his dad's going to live. 580 00:28:32,280 --> 00:28:34,480 How far are we into Jesus ministry at this point? 581 00:28:34,760 --> 00:28:37,560 The clock is ticking on Christ and His mission to the cross. 582 00:28:37,960 --> 00:28:39,880 And this man goes, hey, I'll join up with you. 583 00:28:39,880 --> 00:28:43,400 And Dad's sick and old. Maybe four years tops. 584 00:28:43,560 --> 00:28:46,520 You don't have four years. Nobody had four years walking 585 00:28:46,520 --> 00:28:51,960 with the Messiah 3 1/2 at best. And this guy's going, I'm going 586 00:28:51,960 --> 00:28:54,600 to keep doing your thing throughout the region once I get 587 00:28:54,600 --> 00:28:57,200 things straight here. Jesus says follow me. 588 00:28:57,640 --> 00:29:00,360 Let the dead bury their own dead. 589 00:29:02,400 --> 00:29:05,600 Strong words. Because Jesus knows what he's 590 00:29:05,600 --> 00:29:08,520 worth. Do you know what he's worth? 591 00:29:10,200 --> 00:29:13,040 He doesn't say. I get you like the Super Bowl 592 00:29:13,040 --> 00:29:18,000 commercial convinced me of. He says follow me and leave 593 00:29:18,000 --> 00:29:21,680 something else. If you're not sorry, you're not 594 00:29:21,680 --> 00:29:23,680 following. Jesus, if you haven't left 595 00:29:23,680 --> 00:29:28,440 something, someone or somewhere, follow me and leave. 596 00:29:29,160 --> 00:29:32,160 Follow me and leave. So to follow me is to leave 597 00:29:32,160 --> 00:29:33,160 something. I'm going to follow you. 598 00:29:33,200 --> 00:29:35,480 And no, you're not. You're going to just have the 599 00:29:35,480 --> 00:29:37,880 first thing and you're going to kid yourself, which is super 600 00:29:37,880 --> 00:29:40,120 dangerous. That's that's the danger of 601 00:29:40,120 --> 00:29:41,960 being in the crowd, man. I'm. 602 00:29:41,960 --> 00:29:43,400 I'm all about Jesus. Are you? 603 00:29:43,800 --> 00:29:47,200 What does it cost you? Well, nothing. 604 00:29:47,200 --> 00:29:49,640 He's so good to me. You're missing something, my 605 00:29:49,640 --> 00:29:50,800 friend. The Lord loves you. 606 00:29:50,800 --> 00:29:52,720 He's gracious. And and we can move on from 607 00:29:52,720 --> 00:29:55,960 here. You can become a disciple, but 608 00:29:56,160 --> 00:30:03,000 it will cost you something. You're not following Jesus if 609 00:30:03,000 --> 00:30:06,480 you haven't left something, someone or somewhere to follow 610 00:30:06,520 --> 00:30:09,760 Jesus is to be alive and not dead, and you can't be both. 611 00:30:10,480 --> 00:30:13,080 So when you come to the King in humility, he gives you a new 612 00:30:13,080 --> 00:30:15,360 heart. With your new heart comes new 613 00:30:15,360 --> 00:30:18,800 desires, new loves and new hates. 614 00:30:19,160 --> 00:30:22,880 So the things that I used to hold so dearly, I now go the 615 00:30:22,880 --> 00:30:25,880 Holy Spirit convicts me and he's grieved by those things. 616 00:30:25,880 --> 00:30:29,160 And he goes to Michael no more. And I go, man, is that really a 617 00:30:29,600 --> 00:30:31,400 is that really a an important thing? 618 00:30:31,400 --> 00:30:34,600 He says it matters to me. And now I've got an opportunity 619 00:30:34,600 --> 00:30:36,040 again. Crowd or disciple? 620 00:30:36,760 --> 00:30:38,240 Crowd or disciple. I'm a fan. 621 00:30:38,600 --> 00:30:41,280 I'm a big fan of Jesus. Well, he didn't. 622 00:30:41,280 --> 00:30:44,640 He's not gathering fans, he's gathering a flock. 623 00:30:46,560 --> 00:30:50,200 To leave me or to follow me is to leave that. 624 00:30:50,880 --> 00:30:55,160 To follow me is to leave there. To follow me is to leave them. 625 00:30:57,080 --> 00:30:59,080 And Jesus will bring new desires. 626 00:31:00,200 --> 00:31:02,640 That's the other comfort. None of this is white knuckle. 627 00:31:02,640 --> 00:31:05,200 None of this is all on you. This is what the new birth 628 00:31:05,200 --> 00:31:08,240 actually accomplishes. So when we come to Christ in 629 00:31:08,240 --> 00:31:11,120 humility, when we come through the cross and we say God, my 630 00:31:11,120 --> 00:31:13,320 life is yours. In that moment, the Holy Spirit 631 00:31:13,320 --> 00:31:16,480 brings new desires. So we don't preach the gospel 632 00:31:16,480 --> 00:31:18,400 message and leave out the gospel. 633 00:31:18,400 --> 00:31:20,840 We don't preach a message. It just says it costs a lot and 634 00:31:20,840 --> 00:31:22,800 people go. It just sounds like it's on 635 00:31:22,800 --> 00:31:24,480 them. Well, the good news is the Lord 636 00:31:24,480 --> 00:31:28,040 actually brings the ability and the desire to follow him. 637 00:31:28,520 --> 00:31:30,360 So he first of all gave you the faith. 638 00:31:30,960 --> 00:31:32,400 You didn't get that on your own either. 639 00:31:32,600 --> 00:31:36,640 He sent his word, and with the word of God travels faith to 640 00:31:36,640 --> 00:31:39,240 believe the word of God. So we're all cut to the heart. 641 00:31:39,760 --> 00:31:41,360 And now in this moment, I get to choose. 642 00:31:41,560 --> 00:31:44,960 Faith has been delivered. I've been penetrated by the 643 00:31:44,960 --> 00:31:47,720 sword of the Spirit. And now I can harden up and go 644 00:31:47,720 --> 00:31:52,240 no. Or I go, ow, yes, Lord, remove 645 00:31:52,240 --> 00:31:55,240 the cancer and give me a heart of flesh. 646 00:31:56,280 --> 00:32:00,280 Heal me and restore me Like God tested Abraham with action to 647 00:32:00,280 --> 00:32:04,640 take, Jesus is testing the crowds, and he tests us by 648 00:32:04,640 --> 00:32:07,360 giving us action to take. Will you obey? 649 00:32:08,120 --> 00:32:11,520 There's a difference between movement and progress. 650 00:32:11,680 --> 00:32:15,360 A rocking chair moves, but it never goes anywhere. 651 00:32:16,120 --> 00:32:18,880 There were many in the in the Jesus crowd then, and there are 652 00:32:18,880 --> 00:32:21,960 many in the Jesus crowd now. So do you. 653 00:32:22,080 --> 00:32:25,080 Do you like feeling convicted but you don't obey? 654 00:32:25,080 --> 00:32:28,760 That's incredibly dangerous. It's incredibly dangerous to be 655 00:32:28,760 --> 00:32:31,840 in a solid church when all you get is conviction and nothing 656 00:32:31,840 --> 00:32:34,080 more. Oh, my pastor is so solid and so 657 00:32:34,080 --> 00:32:35,760 faithful with the word. That's great. 658 00:32:36,160 --> 00:32:39,160 He should be. But now what about your 659 00:32:39,160 --> 00:32:41,840 obedience? Or are you just comforted by the 660 00:32:41,840 --> 00:32:45,360 fact that you are convicted? Oh, oh, I'm so convicted. 661 00:32:46,080 --> 00:32:48,200 Get in the car on the way home. Oh, that was so convicting. 662 00:32:48,280 --> 00:32:51,360 Uh huh. And now what? 663 00:32:51,560 --> 00:32:53,960 And I'm convicted by the Lord. Thank. 664 00:32:53,960 --> 00:32:56,200 I'm thankful for his provision and his help there. 665 00:32:56,440 --> 00:32:58,880 And now I can make a move. Now I can do something 666 00:32:58,880 --> 00:33:02,920 different. Now I can walk in obedience or 667 00:33:03,160 --> 00:33:04,680 man. I'm so convicted I can't wait to 668 00:33:04,680 --> 00:33:06,600 go back next week and get convicted again. 669 00:33:07,240 --> 00:33:09,000 If that's the case, then I'm just in the crowd. 670 00:33:09,600 --> 00:33:11,600 But the flock will sense conviction, and the flock will 671 00:33:11,600 --> 00:33:15,520 then obey. A disciple will follow and leave 672 00:33:16,040 --> 00:33:19,920 his current spot. And it's tempting because we got 673 00:33:19,920 --> 00:33:23,760 reasonable excuses. Let me bury my father first. 674 00:33:24,440 --> 00:33:25,440 Come on. It's a good call, right? 675 00:33:25,520 --> 00:33:28,400 What reasonable excuse do you have not to follow? 676 00:33:28,880 --> 00:33:32,200 What reasonable excuse have you been making to say? 677 00:33:32,200 --> 00:33:35,800 I don't know that. I don't know that I've got to 678 00:33:36,240 --> 00:33:38,080 take action on this. I mean, I feel like I have an 679 00:33:38,080 --> 00:33:40,680 exception, right? I've got my father that I need 680 00:33:40,680 --> 00:33:42,520 to go take care of. You guys are going to take care 681 00:33:42,520 --> 00:33:43,800 of communion for us. Thank you. 682 00:33:44,720 --> 00:33:46,720 We're going to receive communion in just a moment. 683 00:33:48,200 --> 00:33:52,880 What reasonable excuse do I have not to follow? 684 00:33:53,120 --> 00:33:57,880 Reasonable Jesus doesn't cut anyone from the team. 685 00:33:57,880 --> 00:34:01,120 We need to make this clear. We cut ourselves. 686 00:34:01,720 --> 00:34:06,280 He loves you and He wants you, and He proved it by dying to 687 00:34:06,280 --> 00:34:09,040 save you. You are the 1 lost sheep that he 688 00:34:09,040 --> 00:34:14,159 left, 99 others to save, and yet you still get to decide. 689 00:34:14,199 --> 00:34:16,679 The tests are not for him. The tests are for you. 690 00:34:18,560 --> 00:34:20,600 And they're they're. The point of the tests is to 691 00:34:20,600 --> 00:34:23,639 bring you closer and closer and closer to Him. 692 00:34:24,000 --> 00:34:27,560 That's the gift of the test. The gift of the test is that the 693 00:34:27,560 --> 00:34:30,080 scribe gets closer to the Lord. The gift of the test is that the 694 00:34:30,080 --> 00:34:34,040 Lord is that the man sees that Jesus is worth more than his 695 00:34:34,040 --> 00:34:36,280 father. Jesus is worth more than 696 00:34:36,280 --> 00:34:40,679 everybody. This is the gift that the Lord 697 00:34:40,679 --> 00:34:44,639 gives us. And if we ever doubt, if we ever 698 00:34:44,639 --> 00:34:47,800 wonder, is he worth it, we keep looking to the cross. 699 00:34:48,760 --> 00:34:51,800 Go look how much he loved me. Look what he gave up. 700 00:34:52,360 --> 00:34:54,800 He's not asking you to do something that he hasn't already 701 00:34:54,800 --> 00:34:57,920 done. He's not asking you to give up 702 00:34:57,920 --> 00:34:59,760 something. This is the leader who goes 703 00:34:59,760 --> 00:35:02,600 first. This isn't the God who sits on 704 00:35:02,600 --> 00:35:05,640 high, makes demands, and doesn't participate in any way. 705 00:35:06,000 --> 00:35:08,200 This is the one. God so loved the world that he 706 00:35:08,200 --> 00:35:11,200 came to take responsibility. God so loved the world that he 707 00:35:11,200 --> 00:35:14,400 came and cleaned up the mess. God so loved the world that he 708 00:35:14,400 --> 00:35:18,520 already rescued. Is he really worth it? 709 00:35:18,520 --> 00:35:20,760 Of course he's worth it. Does he really love me? 710 00:35:20,760 --> 00:35:24,520 Of course he loves you. Look to the bread, Look to the 711 00:35:24,520 --> 00:35:29,000 cup and be reminded and be refreshed. 712 00:35:33,040 --> 00:35:35,800 No one loves you like him. No one ever has. 713 00:35:36,480 --> 00:35:39,600 This is why you love him. It's because he first loved you. 714 00:35:48,760 --> 00:35:57,920 Hebrews 10, verse four. It is impossible for the blood 715 00:35:57,920 --> 00:36:00,640 of bulls and goats to take away sins. 716 00:36:02,480 --> 00:36:06,160 So Hebrews, of course, was written to Hebrews, Jewish 717 00:36:06,520 --> 00:36:09,840 Christians, people who have come all the way through the blood of 718 00:36:09,840 --> 00:36:11,760 Jesus. But now they're still receiving 719 00:36:11,760 --> 00:36:17,920 encouragement, Correction, help, in case they have any temptation 720 00:36:17,920 --> 00:36:20,920 to return to their old ways. To the old, the former covenant, 721 00:36:21,600 --> 00:36:26,320 bulls, goats, lambs, altars. It was all it was, all a 722 00:36:26,320 --> 00:36:30,880 temporary pointing to the Lamb of God who would take away the 723 00:36:30,880 --> 00:36:37,520 sin of the world when Christ came into the world, he said. 724 00:36:37,520 --> 00:36:41,680 Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body 725 00:36:42,160 --> 00:36:44,600 have you prepared for me in burnt offerings and sin 726 00:36:44,600 --> 00:36:46,720 offerings, you have taken no pleasure. 727 00:36:47,320 --> 00:36:51,240 Then I said, behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is 728 00:36:51,240 --> 00:36:53,960 written of me in the scroll of the book. 729 00:36:59,800 --> 00:37:02,480 So all those other offerings, all those things were a 730 00:37:02,480 --> 00:37:08,440 temporary sacrifice, not satisfying to the Lord, only 731 00:37:08,440 --> 00:37:12,240 holding over until the price could truly fully be paid by the 732 00:37:12,240 --> 00:37:14,400 one who is worthy. Jesus loves you. 733 00:37:15,160 --> 00:37:19,480 This is why you should love him. He really cares for you. 734 00:37:20,320 --> 00:37:21,680 This is why you should care for him. 735 00:37:27,300 --> 00:37:29,980 God, we confess our sins together as a body right now. 736 00:37:30,620 --> 00:37:33,420 Our sins of being in the crowd instead of being in the flock. 737 00:37:36,060 --> 00:37:41,620 All those times where we had a a reasonable excuse to walk away 738 00:37:41,620 --> 00:37:49,320 from the the King, the Lord of Glory, or draw us close, help us 739 00:37:49,560 --> 00:37:52,000 by the power of the Holy Spirit to pass your tests. 740 00:37:52,880 --> 00:37:56,880 Tests that aren't designed to expose and shame us, but tests 741 00:37:56,880 --> 00:37:59,000 that are designed to bring us closer to you. 742 00:38:05,690 --> 00:38:07,130 Just seek the Lord in this moment. 743 00:38:08,530 --> 00:38:11,450 Ask him. Well, what have I been holding 744 00:38:11,450 --> 00:38:13,930 on to, Holy Spirit? What is it you've been speaking 745 00:38:13,930 --> 00:38:16,290 about that I've been ignoring that I've forgotten? 746 00:38:18,280 --> 00:38:20,360 Church, don't let him. Don't let him. 747 00:38:20,360 --> 00:38:22,840 Stop asking you. That would be the worst. 748 00:38:23,280 --> 00:38:25,480 What's he been asking you for over and over and over? 749 00:38:28,200 --> 00:38:32,880 God, don't go silent. Don't turn away from me. 750 00:38:36,320 --> 00:38:42,560 What is that next step of obedience that I would walk 751 00:38:42,560 --> 00:38:49,960 faithfully with you? What lake do I need to cross to 752 00:38:49,960 --> 00:38:52,920 stay close to you? What lake do I need to run 753 00:38:52,920 --> 00:38:56,680 around to give back into your presence? 754 00:39:01,200 --> 00:39:09,000 Jesus paid it all. So God, as we confess our sin, 755 00:39:10,680 --> 00:39:20,040 our spiritual laziness, our selfishness, we bring it to the 756 00:39:20,040 --> 00:39:22,760 cross. The only place where we can be 757 00:39:22,760 --> 00:39:24,960 rescued and the only place where we can be cleansed. 758 00:39:25,400 --> 00:39:27,000 The only place where we can be helped. 759 00:39:28,880 --> 00:39:31,920 There's nothing we can do. You are the vine. 760 00:39:31,920 --> 00:39:33,680 We are the branches. Apart from you, we can do 761 00:39:33,680 --> 00:39:39,640 nothing. We come to your blood. 762 00:39:39,640 --> 00:39:42,720 We come to your body now, remembering what you've done to 763 00:39:42,720 --> 00:39:45,720 redeem us and to rescue us. Like Peter, we have not gotten 764 00:39:45,720 --> 00:39:49,880 straight A's on any of our tests, but we want to be 765 00:39:49,880 --> 00:39:51,640 faithful and we want to keep returning. 766 00:39:51,640 --> 00:39:56,200 We still want to get close to you, so forgive us of our sins 767 00:39:56,680 --> 00:40:02,680 and cleanse us from our unrighteousness and Saints. 768 00:40:03,440 --> 00:40:07,000 As you take the Cup, know that you're also receiving the 769 00:40:07,000 --> 00:40:10,720 forgiveness of God. His answer to your repentance. 770 00:40:11,480 --> 00:40:15,480 Is yes and Amen. Let's take the cup in Jesus name 771 00:40:22,040 --> 00:40:37,700 and let's take the bread. Cleansed and forgiven. 772 00:40:38,140 --> 00:40:40,980 Cleansed and forgiven and totally restored. 773 00:40:41,700 --> 00:40:45,140 Fellowship restored. Fellowship strengthened. 774 00:40:48,700 --> 00:40:52,180 Ready to walk again. Not fearing the voice of the 775 00:40:52,180 --> 00:40:54,620 enemy. Not walking with a cynical tone, 776 00:40:58,360 --> 00:41:00,400 but saying like the scribe. Lord, I'll follow you wherever 777 00:41:00,400 --> 00:41:05,120 you go. And also, God help me, help me 778 00:41:05,120 --> 00:41:08,160 to stay close because you are worthy. 779 00:41:08,760 --> 00:41:12,240 I love you and I want to stay in your presence. 780 00:41:13,960 --> 00:41:15,440 God, we thank you for your word today. 781 00:41:15,680 --> 00:41:20,680 We thank you for your test, and we thank you for your sifting 782 00:41:21,120 --> 00:41:26,680 that keeps us close. Strengthen your people now and 783 00:41:29,680 --> 00:41:33,640 bless them as they go. And now the Lord bless you and 784 00:41:33,640 --> 00:41:36,160 keep you. The Lord make his face shine 785 00:41:36,160 --> 00:41:37,840 down upon you and be gracious to you. 786 00:41:38,600 --> 00:41:41,440 The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you great 787 00:41:41,440 --> 00:41:44,640 peace in Jesus name. Amen.